July 19, 2018 – Del Mar, CA – The $25,000 Markel Insurance 1.45m Jumper Classic kept spectators on the edge of their seats as they watched Bjorn Ikast ride to the win on Classini (owned by BBB Show Jumpers, LLC). The course, designed by Anthony D’Ambrosio, included a tight time allowed which narrowed down the field from 32 in the first round to only five riders in the jump-off. In the Blenheim U25 Jumper Classic, which ran concurrently with the grand prix, Hannah Loly took home first place aboard Asombro.

With Jaime Azcarraga and For Fashion double clean and fast in the jump-off, Ikast originally planned to just focus on having a clean round. But with his wife’s encouragement, he decided to go for the win which resulted in a time of 40.22 seconds, almost a full second faster than Azcarraga’s 41.19s.

“We walked the course and I thought it was a really good jump-off for my horse, I just didn’t think I could beat Jaime [Azcarraga] because he was fast,” Ikast admitted. “And my wife shouted to me, ‘No way, you have to go for it, because you can be faster…'”

2018 has been a great year for the up and coming Classini, a nine-year-old Holsteiner, as this Markel Insurance Jumper Classic is his third big win. Ikast is thrilled about the horse. “I’ve had him for three years and started off in small divisions and now in the grand prix. He jumped absolutely spectacular so I’m really, really happy,” Ikast said. “I’m happy and the owners must be very happy also!”

Hannah Loly and Asombro are Top in the Blenheim U25 Jumper Classic

Hannah Loly also had a solid ride on Asombro, missing out on the Markel Insurance 1.45m Jumper Classic jump-off by one time fault. As one of three who scored a single fault but the only in the U25 division, Loly’s time of 70.96 seconds earned her the blue ribbon in the U25 Jumper Classic and 8th place in the Markel Insurance 1.45m Jumper Classic.

Hannah Loly and Asombro

The two make a great team and have been competing together for the last three years. Loly said, “He took me from 1.20m to 1.45m, so he’s done a lot for me and I know him very well.”

She also expressed her fondness for the U25 program when it runs with the Markel Insurance Jumper Classic, stating, “It’s nice because, we get to compete against all the top professional riders, and we can also compete against people our age.”

With the $30,000 Showpark Summer Festival 1.50m Grand Prix on Saturday, the USEF Junior Hunter National Championship and the USHJA Hunterdon Cup Equitation Classic that runs July 23-24, and the FEI CSI 2* classes coming up next week at the Showpark Racing Festival, there’s a lot to look forward to at the Del Mar Horse Park.

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